As a busy parent, birthdays are great opportunity to get together with family and friends, have some fun and touch base with a few people you don’t get to see as often as you’d like. They do, however, cost money, and can often feel like they’re happening all at once.
We all have a busier period in the calendar where the birthdays are stacking up and, while it’s great that you’re going to enjoy plenty of quality time with loved ones, all those presents, drinks and days out start to add up.
With that in mind, it’s worth thinking about how you can avoid unnecessary financial stress during this period. Here are three ways to nail your birthday season budget.
Plan Ahead & Spend Wisely
Creating a schedule of upcoming birthdays will help you structure your preparations better, which in turn means you’ll save money. Buying gifts in good time will mean you avoid over spending on any last-minute presents.
It also means you’ll be able to plan a tighter budget around times when you know you’re going to be spending more money, so you don’t end up unexpectedly short on cash.
Furthermore, when planning your budget, be realistic around what you are able to spend. Don’t be concerned with what gifts others are buying, just focus on your own finances and stick to what you can afford.
Bulk Buy & Shop Around
Now, by ‘bulk buy’, this doesn’t mean buy everyone the same thing, but rather try and get all your gift buying done in one go. This means saving fuel on trips back and forth to the shops or on delivery costs when buying online.
If you are shopping online, make sure you are looking around for the best deals. If you’re buying popular products, chances are the first site you look at won’t have the best price. Plus, the more you spend on one site, the more likely you are to access perks like free delivery and discounts.
Thoughtful Shortcuts
There are a number of ways to be savvy with your spending without being thrifty towards the birthday boy or girl. These approaches will not only save you some money, but show you’ve put some thought into your gift:
Give these ideas a try and see if they help you out during the party season. Planning your finances around more expensive periods means no unnecessary money worries, so you can focus on having a good time.
We all have a busier period in the calendar where the birthdays are stacking up and, while it’s great that you’re going to enjoy plenty of quality time with loved ones, all those presents, drinks and days out start to add up.
With that in mind, it’s worth thinking about how you can avoid unnecessary financial stress during this period. Here are three ways to nail your birthday season budget.
Plan Ahead & Spend Wisely
Creating a schedule of upcoming birthdays will help you structure your preparations better, which in turn means you’ll save money. Buying gifts in good time will mean you avoid over spending on any last-minute presents.
It also means you’ll be able to plan a tighter budget around times when you know you’re going to be spending more money, so you don’t end up unexpectedly short on cash.
Furthermore, when planning your budget, be realistic around what you are able to spend. Don’t be concerned with what gifts others are buying, just focus on your own finances and stick to what you can afford.
Bulk Buy & Shop Around
Now, by ‘bulk buy’, this doesn’t mean buy everyone the same thing, but rather try and get all your gift buying done in one go. This means saving fuel on trips back and forth to the shops or on delivery costs when buying online.
If you are shopping online, make sure you are looking around for the best deals. If you’re buying popular products, chances are the first site you look at won’t have the best price. Plus, the more you spend on one site, the more likely you are to access perks like free delivery and discounts.
Thoughtful Shortcuts
There are a number of ways to be savvy with your spending without being thrifty towards the birthday boy or girl. These approaches will not only save you some money, but show you’ve put some thought into your gift:
- A DIY approach: They do say it’s the thought that counts, and often a well-done homemade present will mean as much as any material gift, maybe even more. Whether it’s crafting your own card, making your own gift wrap or coming up with your own present idea, adding your own creativity to your gifts will add charm and save money at the same time.
- Gift wrapping at the shop: Let’s be honest, are any of us actually any good at wrapping presents? When you buy a gift from a retailer, see if they offer gift wrapping, then stand back in amazement as the shop assistant does ten times the job you would in a quarter of the time.
- Birthday freebies: Another cliché for you: if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Sometimes, mentioning it’s a special occasion can get you a few additional perks, whether it’s a complimentary slice of cake for the birthday girl, money off a meal or even just an embarrassing rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’, it may be worth your while to try your luck.
Give these ideas a try and see if they help you out during the party season. Planning your finances around more expensive periods means no unnecessary money worries, so you can focus on having a good time.
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